Altered Perceptions
by moonliteshdow
Summary: It's just a normal day in the Gryffindor common room until Fred and George want to test out their latest invention using Ron and Hermione as their guinea pigs! R/Hr
1. Chapter 1

Altered Perceptions

_This is set at some point in fifth year. Enjoy!_

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><p>'Ron, what are you doing?' Hermione asked as she watched his red hair appear and disappear behind the Gryffindor sofa.<p>

'I've lost my quill,' he responded in an irritable fashion. 'And Pig's flown off with my homework. I think he thought I said _take this to Harry'_.

Hermione suppressed the urge to smile. Trust someone a bit gruff and cynical like Ron to have the most animated showman-like pet in the country.

'Well at least Harry will have some homework to hand in then.' Her lips quivered.

'I'm glad you think this is funny Hermione. Knowing Pig he's halfway to John o' Groats by now – he tends to get blown a hundred miles off course by a strong gust of wind.' He stood up and rubbed the back of his hair.

As Ron shook his head distractedly Hermione stared. She knew she fancied Ron; when he acted all worried like this it made her feelings worse. She just couldn't put her finger on why she felt this way about Ron – he wasn't exactly what she'd imagined the boy of her dreams to be like.

At that point Harry came wandering down from the dorm with a small feathery owl twittering around his head.

'Why has Pig brought me your homework? I mean it's very generous of you Ron but I've already done McGonagall's essay...' he said, passing Ron the homework.

'Oh don't you start as well Harry.'

'What have we done?' Harry questioned Hermione.

'Ron's lost his quill,' she said vaguely, focusing on her homework.

'I think I can help you with that as well.' Harry pulled Ron's quill out of his pocket. 'Sorry mate, I couldn't find mine so I borrowed yours.'

'Thanks everyone.' Ron took the quill sarcastically. 'I certainly have enjoyed this fun filled half hour courtesy of the resident burglars.'

Pig hooted obliviously and landed on his shoulder.

'Excuse me I hope you're not including me in your kind assessment Ron.' Hermione looked offended.

''Course not Hermione, you're a model citizen.' He grinned, popping a chocolate frog into his mouth whole.

'That means such a lot coming from you Ron,' she responded sarcastically, watching him chew.

'You love me really,' he joked, pulling another chocolate out of a bag on the sofa.

Hermione blushed. She knew he hadn't intended the statement that way but all the same...

Harry put some books down on the table.

'Yeah well as much I'm sure we all fancy Ron, I've got to do more than stare into his blue eyes all afternoon if I'm going to avoid certain death with Snape on Monday,' Harry deadpanned.

'I thought you'd done that homework Harry! You said you'd finished it the other night when you went to Quidditch practice!' Hermione looked scandalized.

'Give it a rest Hermione; I've already been worrying about it all day.'

'You obviously haven't been worried enough to do it,' she berated him.

'Look. It's not exactly on the list of top ten worries at the moment. Oddly enough there's a man with a large snake walking about the country that seems to take up the first ten spaces on his own.'

Ron laughed.

'You better get on with _your_ homework Ron or it will never get finished.' Hermione reminded him.

'I'm doing it, keep your hair on,' he said infuriatingly and placed his quill to the paper.

Unfortunately that's all that seemed to happen for the next ten minutes, until Pig hooted in an almost questioning way.

'What? Are you hungry?' Ron asked the bird.

'No Ron, I want to know why you're not working,' Harry said in a funny voice as though impersonating the owl.

'Very funny Harry but don't give up the day job... I've had enough of this now; can't we go outside for a bit?'

'No, I haven't finished my homework yet!' Hermione responded urgently.

'When's it got to be in for?' He grinned mischievously.

'Not for a couple of weeks...' she admitted sheepishly.

'You're brilliant Hermione. Completely mad but brilliant.'

Just at that moment Fred and George came walking down the dorm stairs rattling a box.

'Don't tell me you're collecting for SPEW now?' Ron gaped at them.

'Don't be an idiot,' Fred said. 'We _do_ need Hermione's help to test something out though. We've just launched a new enterprise – it's going to revolutionise the school!'

'Oh what is it?' Hermione looked excited. 'Will it improve classroom teaching or enhance our learning opportunities?'

'We knew you'd be interested,' George replied. 'But actually it's more to do with enhancing _extracurricular_ activities. That's why we want you to...'

'Give us a kiss Hermione,' Fred finished.

'I beg your pardon?' she responded, shocked.

Ron went a sort of purple colour and spluttered.

Ignoring this, Fred and George continued.

'I can see we're going to have to expand on that...'

'We've developed rings that alter other people's perceptions of what's really going on. So you could be wearing them – playing noughts and crosses in lessons, eating a packet of Bertie Botts beans –'

'Gesturing at Snape...'

'... And no-one would know because the teacher's not focusing on you whilst you're wearing it!'

'Brilliant!' said Harry.

'We know. But we know that people are also going to try and use them to have a good snog in the corridors in the middle of the night and since we respect some laws more than others we understand that we need to be able to see what's going on in that department...' Fred explained.

'Only so Angelina doesn't get off with Roger without Fred knowing...' smirked George.

'Anyway we thought if Hermione would take part in a small experiment...'

'You want me to kiss you... so you can see if it's visible to everyone else?' Hermione responded slowly.

'Exactly!' George confirmed.

'Only trouble is, it needs to be more than a peck on the cheek because that would be perceived anyway...'

'You can't ask Hermione to do that!' Ron spluttered looking scandalised. 'What would mum say if she heard you talking like that to a girl?'

'You always were mummy's boy.' Grinned Fred.

'Glad to see Ron's not forgotten his Weasley morals... Ron we're not completely ill-bred you know. I'm sorry to say we do come from the same family as you...'

'And we recognise we can't go around snogging girls without a completely good reason.'

'So what are you doing talking like that to Hermione then?' Ron demanded.

'It's okay Ron they don't mean anything by it,' Hermione said.

'I don't know what they mean, and I'm not sure I like it,' Ron fumed at the twins.

'Look,' said Fred with the amused air of someone who knew this was going to happen, 'if you don't want one of us kissing Hermione – and it literally would be a quick peck on the lips – how about if Harry did it?'

Harry looked nauseous at the prospect.

'No offence Hermione but I don't really see you that way.'

'None taken Harry – me either.' She looked equally repelled at this suggestion.

Ron's face lit up at this admission.

'Really?'

'Why? Did you think we went off to snog in an empty classroom every night?' Harry raised an eyebrow.

Ron stood there with his mouth open.

'I've got it!' George said gleefully, pretending he'd just thought of something. 'How about if _Ron_ were to do it!'

Hermione flushed and looked down at her homework intently.

Ron spluttered.

'I'm not... I can't... I'm not kissing Hermione so you two can test a stupid invention!'

'He's gone red George!'

'Ah bless him, isn't that cute!'

'Are we to assume from this protest dear brother, that you _would_ kiss Hermione if it weren't to test our invention?' Fred grinned.

'I... _what_?'

'We'll take that as a yes. Stand in front of the fireplace you two and put these on.'

Fred passed Ron a ring, and Ron went from gaping at the twins to the ring in his hand. Hermione took her ring from George and looked at Ron furtively whilst still sitting at the table.

'Come on time waits for no man!' Fred quipped, taking Hermione's hand and standing her up, gesturing to the fireplace.

Hermione uncertainly approached Ron; he looked up from his staring reverie and blushed, quickly reverting to gazing at the ring in his hand.

'Look, Fred and George are completely mad. You don't have to do this Hermione.'

'I know,' she said. 'I was going to say no...'

'Right, of course you were.' He looked disappointed.

'I don't mind now though...' she admitted in a small voice, putting on her ring. 'Put on your ring.'

Ron placed the ring on his finger whilst staring at Hermione.

'You don't mind if I...'

'No,' she cut him off.

'Are you sure? Because you don't have to you know...'

'Just snog her Ron! Honestly I can't believe we're related sometimes...' Fred said loudly.

Hermione grasped his hand and smiled encouragingly.

A determined look passed across his face and he leaned towards her. Giving her a quick, soft peck on the lips he pulled back with a redder and more confunded face than when he'd started.

'_Oh_ for the love of...' Fred grinned.

'You two are special, _honestly_. Next time Ron, make it last more than a fraction of a millisecond. Well – we know it works Fred! I saw everything!' George said happily.

'Yeah so did I...' Harry said, looking like he'd have rather seen Snape posing in a men's underwear catalogue.

'Thanks you lot. A unique experience as always!' Grinned Fred, and the twins disappeared back up to the dorms leaving a trail of confusion in their wake.

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><p><em>I was writing an RHr story when I decided Fred and George ought to be included plus their latest invention. Then I had an idea – what if they'd come up with something that made your actions not directly visible to others without actually being invisible? The idea is much like the perception filter in Doctor Who; the characters wear the TARDIS key on a chain around their necks to hide from the Master. It's like you can see that someone's there, but you aren't bothered about them._

_Please review – let me know whether I should carry it on :D_


	2. Chapter 2

_Those who wanted a good old snog (to put it in GingerPygmys99's words - LOL) at the end of the last chapter need look no further than the end of this chapter! Hopefully this will end the confusion about the rings – or maybe it will make it worse – hopefully the former! *hopeful grin*. Thanks to everyone for their reviews on the last chapter and in the words of Laree England – OMG! (Loved that review by the way!)_

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><p>Ron stared at the twins backs retreating up the dormitory staircase. Hermione turned to Harry.<p>

'Did it really work, could you see everything?'

'Yes,' said Harry. 'I'm not quite sure whether they were having you two on though.'

'What do you mean?' Hermione asked.

'Well... have you thought that maybe those rings are just ordinary and not magical at all?' suggested Harry.

'But... why would they?...' Hermione began, then realisation hit her and she went red.

Harry looked awkwardly at Ron and Hermione. If _he'd_ suspected that these two fancy one another for a while, then other people were sure to have thought the same. Especially the twins, who live with Ron.

'I'll kill those two when I get hold of them!' Ron said, furiously.

'Wait a minute,' Harry interjected. 'You've still got the rings on. Fred and George said they wouldn't work for a full on snog but they would work if it was just a peck on the cheek. Ron – could you maybe – you know? Just on the cheek? That would test it – I'll tell you if the rings work.'

Ron's jaw opened slightly as if he were about to say something, but then closed it again.

'Ron it's alright, just do it,' Hermione encouraged him.

'Sorry Hermione,' he apologised as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Suddenly for no good reason, Harry felt his attention turn to the fireplace; the area just to the left of Ron.

'Did it work?' Ron queried, now extremely pink in the face.

'I think so... I wasn't really paying attention. I don't know why – I meant to watch you both closely but I suddenly wasn't bothered,' Harry analysed.

'That sounds like they work then!' Hermione said. 'They really must have been testing them.'

'Yeah but I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't chosen you two on purpose...' Harry uncomfortably reminded her.

Ron was determinedly looking at the floor as though he wanted to sink into it.

'Well, never mind that.' Hermione suddenly assumed her bossy nature, sitting in an armchair by the fire and picking up her book. 'You both need to get that homework finished.'

Ron whipped his head up and stared at her – _how could she revert back to normal as if nothing had happened?_ S_he didn't want to kiss me, it was nothing to her_, he thought.

Sighing, he sat down at the table to work again. Harry joined him, wondering why he always seemed to find himself in the middle of something awkward. He saw Hermione give Ron the slightest of looks but a second later she was reading her book again. He noticed her cheeks were a little bright.

Meanwhile Pig, (who had reverted to the safety of the lamp hanging from the common room ceiling) fluttered haphazardly down onto the table where Ron absentmindedly poked him with his quill, thinking he was the ink bottle.

After about half an hour of Ron writing nothing but the title of the essay on the top of his paper and staring off into space, Harry had finished his. He had tried to involve Ron but he seemed very preoccupied.

'What?'

'I said... oh never mind...' Harry muttered.

'I'm going to bed,' Hermione announced, shutting her book. 'Have you two finished?'

'_I_ have...' said Harry, glancing at Ron.

'Ron!' she raised her voice.

'Eh?' He blushed and jumped, staring at her like a rabbit in the headlights.

'Haven't you even started that essay yet?'

Ron looked down at his paper with a surprised expression. Harry supposed he didn't realise how long they'd all been sitting there.

'No,' he realised, then continued in a depressed voice. 'Not to worry, just leave me here. I'll do it before morning.'

Hermione noticed his hand as he started writing on the paper.

'You've still got your ring on...' she stated.

He glanced at it.

'Oh yeah...'

'You can take it off now – Fred and George will want them back anyway.'

'Yeah they probably will. They'd never let me having anything for free. Except maybe a cold.'

At this point Harry felt the conversation could head in a very different direction so decided to make a break for it to the boy's dorms. There was a silence as he headed over to the stairs but then...

'Hermione...' Ron began, quietly.

(Harry stomped on the stairs as hard as he could and disappeared through the dorm door).

Satisfied that Harry really was gone, Ron took a deep breath.

It seemed however that Hermione now realised Harry was missing and knew she was on dangerous ground should she remain alone with Ron.

'Ron I really need to go to bed, I'll see you in the morning. Make sure you get that work done.'

Noting the look of heavy disappointment fall across his face she turned to leave.

'Oh... ok.'

She must be mad. Well, either that or a Gryffindor. Why the devil was she put in this house in the first place anyway?

She crept silently back to the sofa, bent over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. When Ron realised what was going on he closed his eyes. After about five seconds she pulled her lips away. Ron put his hand to his cheek in disbelief.

She was across the room before he could formulate words.

'Hermione,' he croaked desperately. 'Come back!'

'I need to go to bed Ron!' She tried to put on her bossiest voice, attempting to cover how nervous she was.

'Right...' He was momentarily thrown off course. 'But when you... what do you mean? I mean, when you... did you mean to kiss me or...'

Hermione sighed in an exasperated way.

'Of course I did Ron. What did you think I'd done? Tripped over the sofa and head butted you with my lips?'

Ron stood there flabbergasted; his hand still touching his cheek where she'd kissed him.

'But I thought – earlier when the twins had... that you didn't want me to do that to _you_! Afterwards you acted like nothing had happened...'

'Ron I _let_ you do that to me!'

'You did, didn't you?' he realised.

Hermione watched as his brain ticked over.

'So that means...'

'I think you know full well what that means Ron.'

Hermione closed her eyes. Did he know how embarrassing this was?

She inhaled sharply as she felt a large hand touching her cheek.

'I can't believe it.' She stared up into his blue eyes as he spoke. 'Do you know how long _I've_ wanted...'

He stopped suddenly and went a deep shade of red.

Hermione stared at him.

'Ron were you about to say what I think you were ...'

'Sorry! Just forget I said that!' He was frantically pacing the room, running his hands through his hair.

'I dare you to finish that sentence Ron Weasley. If you don't, I'll never speak to you again!' Hermione stopped him in his tracks, threateningly gripping the front of his uniform. (Pig was hiding in the lampshade again).

'Erm...' said a voice in the doorway. 'I forgot to pick up my homework...'

Harry was staring open mouthed at the scene, having bravely ventured down the stairs.

'Bugger off Harry!'

'Okay thanks Ron...' Harry retreated up the steps.

The two slowly returned their gaze to Hermione's hands which were holding onto Ron's shirt.

'You really want me to finish that sentence?'

Hermione nodded – her eyes were tearing up.

'I'm not very good at this am I?' he said, staring at her getting upset.

'No.'

'Well add it to the list of other things for future reference,' he joked feebly.

When nothing happened except Hermione sniffling, Ron decided it was safe to start again.

'Listen. I've wanted a lot of things over the years. I always wished Mum and Dad had more money, I wanted even half the talent my brothers have got, I wanted a little bit of recognition sometimes... but the one thing I want more than anything else...'

Hermione looked at him, captivated.

Blushing furiously he tried to form a sentence.

'I want...'

Giving up, he leaned in and met her lips except this time he didn't pull back. He slowly moved his mouth against hers; she moaned and he did the same in response. It seemed like he was releasing all his feelings into this one kiss, moving more ardently as the moments drew on.

He drew back, both of them breathing heavily.

'_Ron_,' she simply whispered his name as they embraced.

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><p><em>R and R – 'rest and relaxation'? Or 'read and review' – you the readers decide! :D<em>


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